I'm back. It was a f***ing heart attack. I was VERY lucky

[DFW]

Heartfelt thanks to all who wrote!!!

It was all so stupid. It didn't have to happen.

I went in for the colonoscopy Monday morning. Those people had asked me for my medical history plus a list of medication I was taking. I gave it to them, and they told me to stop taking the baby aspirin ten days prior to the other procedure anyway.

WROOOOOOOOONG.

The cardiologist at Presbyterian Hospital in here Dallas (one of THE best facilities anywhere) said he gets dozens of heart attack patients each year whose arteries clog up when they stop taking the baby aspirin.

He said that the aspirin destroys the platelets that clog up arteries, and they need about 7 to 10 days to completely regenerate to a level where they can clog an artery again.

HELLOOOOOOOOO??? I have had 2 stents since 2004 and no problems since then. One is in a major artery, one is in a minor artery. Luckily it was my minor artery that clogged up.

If it had been the major artery, I would not have posting for a long while, maybe never again.

Short take: I lucked out. I have to go on some supplemental meds for a year or so, but the heart damage was minimal, and I'll be back up to speed in a few weeks. I escaped a MAJOR bullet. The people advising me to go off the aspirin for ten days should NEVER have done so before consulting with my cardiologist. For anyone here on blood thinners, if you are told by any doc to go off them for any reason, make sure you and your physician consult with a cardiologist to consider where the greater risk lies. I could have died because of this oversight, and it should never have happened in the first place.

I have to say that the care I got at the hospital here in Dallas was absolutely first rate, and I really was well-treated round the clock. My top brass is absolutely furious with the other physician (well-respected in his field though he is) for not spotting the danger and wants to sue him for the hospital costs over and above what Blue Cross will pay. I have not had anything like this in the States before, and from what I've heard, the bill will probably be $50,000 and Blue Cross will cover $214.75 of that. Whatever. I am still a little weak from the procedure, and if it costs me (or my outfit) $50,000 for me to live another 25 years, it's worth it to me.

I am in no state to get riled up over money right now. I escaped with my life.

That'll do just fine for starters.

[Born_A_Truman]

So glad you are okay! I was told to go off baby aspirin & any anti-inflammatory drugs for 7 days before my colonoscopy in June. Wow!

[jaxx]

Glad to have you back with us DFW. I have a stent too and take my aspirin daily....and won't stop now if some doctor says to!! Take care, it takes awhile to get back to normal after a heart attack.

[Cha]

Wow! Glad you're okay, DFW! Good info to pass along about the baby aspirin in case anyone else should be in a similar situation. Close one!

[Peacetrain]

Oh my GOD.. glad you are okay.. take care..

[azmouse]

I wish you a very speedy recovery.

I'm curious as to why they would want you to stop aspirin before a colonoscopy. Seems like they shouldn't have anything to do with each other.

[jaxx]

Aspirin are supposed to act as a blood thinner of sorts, not letting the blood coagulate so fast. Which in a heart attack saves you and in a colonoscopy might lead to more bleeding in an event.

[SeattleGirl]

OMG, that's scary (both the heart attack and the people doing the colonoscopy not checking with your cardiologist)!

I'm so glad it was only minor. Best wishes for your recovery!

[DFW]

Jaxx answered the question-- in case a polyp was found, snipping it could have caused dangerous bleeding in case of blood thinners working. Of course, people with blood thinners could always have the option of not getting polyps snipped in case any were found, but it's a dilemma for sure. Colon polyps often become cancerous at some point, and colon cancer is a silent deadly killer.

[Born_A_Truman]

(08-25-2011 04:05 PM)DFW Wrote:  Jaxx answered the question-- in case a polyp was found, snipping it could have caused dangerous bleeding in case of blood thinners working. Of course, people with blood thinners could always have the option of not getting polyps snipped in case any were found, but it's a dilemma for sure. Colon polyps often become cancerous at some point, and colon cancer is a silent deadly killer.

Right. And in my case they removed two. It's SOP to stop blood thinners, but in your case with stents, I would think they would have consulted with your cardio to discuss. These pre-test directions are standard (mine was faxed to me) but in light of what happened to you, they might rethink that!

[azmouse]

Thanks for the info on aspirin. It's good to know, and good to get the info to as many people as possible.

[Still a Democrat]

Welcome back!

[OptimistesMaddie]

So glad you are okay.

[sandnsea]

Wow. Glad you pulled through okay. My husband has a stent and just had a colonoscopy a month or so ago. He was told to go off his Plavix and his aspirin. I don't know for how many days. He is always told to go off of them when he is having a surgery. NOBODY ever told him to be wary of a heart attack at any point because of it. I will definitely talk to him about this.

I'm also a little baffled about the insurance situation, they should pay the majority of it, maybe leaving $5,000 or so.

Get back on those meds and take care of yourself!!

[Julie]

Glad you're alright! Don't let anything else upset you now. When those things come to mind remind yourself what the problems would be if you were no longer with us, problems seem so small in comparison.

Really, great to see you!

Julie

[DFW]

Sandnsea--I don't know about the insurance situation yet, I was just speculating from past experience. When I had the stents put it, it was an emergency situation in Germany. As Germany's hospitals weren't on our insurance's "approved" list, they refused to pay for any of it. The stent implant and hospital stay in Germany cost about $10,000. The insurance company refused to pay for it even though the same procedure in the USA would have cost at least four times that.

That's the next chapter. The fact that I'll be alive to write it will be some large compensation indeed.

[nofurylike]

thank you so much for letting us know, DFW!!
i am so sorry you are having to go through that! but i am very happy that you were where you got excellent treatment - albeit, to offset questionable treatment - and are here to tell about it!!

welcome back!! you were missed and cared very much about

[DFW]

Nofury and all of you--I really appreciate the words of encouragement. They might just look like pixels on a screen, but they have an effect nonetheless.

The pixel is often mightier than the arterial blockage!

[nofurylike]

(08-26-2011 07:15 AM)DFW Wrote:  Nofury and all of you--I really appreciate the words of encouragement. They might just look like pixels on a screen, but they have an effect nonetheless.

The pixel is often mightier than the arterial blockage!

i LOVE that!
you have an abundance of pixels embracing you here, DFW

Life you!

[Hekate]

Welcome back, friend. That's some pretty stunning news. Rest up and check in when you can.

[DFW]

I hope I can earn it all!!

Actually, I'm working on a project full of such useless quips. If it gets published, I'll let the board know. If not, then I'll just post a link LOL!!

[nofurylike]

(08-28-2011 08:19 AM)DFW Wrote:  I hope I can earn it all!!

Actually, I'm working on a project full of such useless quips. If it gets published, I'll let the board know. If not, then I'll just post a link LOL!!

"earn" what "all," DFW?

if you mean our loving concern, that is yours already.
if you mean your surviving, earning that must be something like sending the blessing forward, which i get the impression you already do in countless ways.

am i misunderstanding? i so often do

if the fixed (as in put the fix in) publishing industry does not publish you, self-publish. it is a whole new world. and it is now broadly recognized that the elitist - white-well-connected-male dominated - publishing industry asked for the drubbing new and improved self-publishing opportunities is going to give it.

[DFW]

I have had a few favorable responses from agents on my book, and I'll let you know if and when one decides to take up my "cause." It's just some project I was thinking about doing for a long time, and then did. I already have favorable comments from a professor at Writer's Digest University, as well as from Howard Dean and Stan Lee. I have sent it to another friend for critique, and he has warned me that he will not spare me if he doesn't like it, but will also say if he did. His name is not as well known as that of Howard or Stan, but he was prominently portrayed by Robin Williams in one of his more memorable film roles, so it might still ring a bell with some people. Keep your fingers crossed.

It is now one week since I had my little medical "incident." It seems like half a year. I feel really good, if a little tired. I am not yet ready to run any marathons. But I feel like I have really survived something, and am ready to get back to the world (especially my wife, whom I haven't seen in nearly a month). I've been in the States since mid July, and Europe beckons me back. I'm going to visit my sister and elder daughter in New York for 2 days, then down to Washington to see my brother and Helen Thomas, and then I'm back off across the pond. I wanted to see so many other people, but surviving to tell the tale took up a little more of the schedule than was originally budgeted for it. Live and learn (especially the "live" part!).

[nofurylike]

i am so pleased you are feeling better and better, DFW!!

we will be looking forward to hearing of progress on your book.
have a wonderful trip back to the world and to your dear wife!

[Brewman_Jax]

Welcome back!

[DFW]

Thanks! Glad to BE back!